Use of wireless home networking has greatly increased in importance recently. The wireless world is more complex than the dependable wired connections that most networking is based upon. Wireless access point subsystems allow gateways and other similar devices to connect stations to a broadband backbone. Stations may include wireless clients such as mobile devices, laptops and other wireless devices. Wireless transmissions are typically uncontrolled (e.g., there is not a scheduling MAC native to Wi-Fi).
Each time a station or access point has data waiting for transmission, a Ready to Send, Clear to Send (CTS/RTS) sequence using carrier sense for collision detection can be used. The winner of a CTS/RTS sequence announces parameters of its transmission, including the length, and begins transmitting packets. The receiving station is allowed brief windows during the transmission to acknowledge each packet's transmission. By adjusting how aggressively a station or access point acts during the contention window, the station or access point can increase the probability of successfully seizing the air.
Currently, once a station receives a packet from an access point, the station enters a back-off period, within which the station is unable to initiate a new packet transmission. At the end of a back-off period, the station may then be able to initiate a new packet transmission to the access point. Currently, the back-off periods for an access point and stations are randomly set within certain windows.
It is desirable to improve upon control of downstream and upstream transmission opportunities in wireless home networking. Current forms of transmission opportunity control can preclude a system from being able to guarantee that the transmissions will be fairly distributed among competing stations, and there is a possibility that upstream transmissions could starve out downstream transmissions.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.